Our Impact
Our Impact
IQSS encourages and allows researchers to think more expansively and take on projects that would otherwise have been impossible. Here are examples of how IQSS drives tangible change in the world.
Investigating Flight Attendants' Safety
In the longest-running longitudinal study of its kind, a study by Dr. Eileen McNeely, executive director of SHINE at IQSS, collected data on uniforms from major US airlines. Laboratory tests found harmful substances on a manufacturer's uniforms, and analysis showed a clear connection between the introduction of these uniforms and reports of debilitating medical issues such as respiratory problems and thyroid disease. These findings provided evidence in a class action lawsuit holding the uniform manufacturer accountable for the resulting health effects.
Digitizing History for the Future of Data Research
In the first major endeavor to represent a significant Harvard Library collection as data, the IQSS Dataverse Project collaborated with the Houghton Library to create the Slavery, Abolition, Emancipation, and Freedom (SAEF) Data Collection, an open access research dataset of more than 1200 items relating to African American history from the Early Republic through Reconstruction.
Harnessing Data Interpretation for Academic Advancement
At a time when research across disciplines increasingly requires a range of skills to collect and interpret data, scholars can find themselves struggling with hurdles at various points in their projects. Data Science Services (DSS) has provided an innovative set of resources that supports a smoother research cycle for researchers across Harvard.
Measuring Population Well-Being with Social Media
Can we derive any useful information from social media posts about movies, food, or seemingly nothing in particular? By creating the Twitter Sentiment Geographical Index (TGSI), Devika Kakkar's team at the Center for Geographical Analysis collaborated with other researchers to study a range of topics such as pollution, climate change, and emotional well-being.
Trailblazing a Path into Trucking for the 21st Century
As our highways become the new digital landscape, where every truck is a node and every delivery a connection, an IQSS fellow-turned-entrepreneur is helping build the transportation infrastructure of tomorrow. IQSS Data Privacy Lab alumnus Jinyan Zang, founder and COO of Axle, has created a data platform to transform trucking logistics.
Our Community
IQSS is comprised of faculty and students representing nearly every school within Harvard, plus visiting scholars, fellows, and postdocs from institutions across the globe. These scholars are supported by a staff of more than 50 dedicated IT professionals, administrators, and support personnel. The strength of our community is derived from our philosophy of collaboration: the more information we share, the better the social science research and the more likely it is that we will be able to fix some of the world’s most complex social problems. Join us in our efforts!
IQSS Financial Supporters
The work of IQSS would not be possible without the generous support of many individuals and organizations.
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